Chapter 3: Riddle Me This... ---------------------------- Natasha entered Nikeah with one thought on her mind, the riddle spoken to her by the shadowy figure in her dream: "Go to where a year's creation was destroyed in a day." It played over and over again in her mind. Many things could be destroyed in a day, after a year's work. Everything could be destroyed after a year's work! Her mind rattled on and on, making the riddle out to be more than it really was. Finally she drew the conclusion that a good night's rest would help her. After not getting much sleep at all on that boat, some beauty rest couldn't possibly hurt. As she entered the inn, Natasha smelled something terrific. The aroma entered her nose. She immediately fell in love with it. It was food. She didn't know what kind, but food was food. She wouldn't dare eat anything on board the ship, but this food she had to have. "Hello, miss," the innkeeper spoke, "how can I help you today?" Natasha smiled. "I would like a room, please." "You really look like a mess," the Innkeeper replied. "For 200 gold I can put you up for the night." "Gladly," Natasha sighed as she pulled the correct amount from her pouch and handed it to him. Natasha had robbed Captain Ruce blind while he was unconscious. She smiled with a little evil as she thought about it. Easiest 5000 gold she ever made. "Here's your key," the Innkeeper replied, "Now all I need is your signature right here in the log book." Natasha was a little annoyed by this, but she knew why all the innkeepers had a log book. Grasping a pen, she neatly signed "Natasha Toni Chase" at the top of a blank page. Innkeepers kept those books to know whom to hold accountable for damage done to the room and such. "I guess Captain Ruce should have had me sign a log book," Natasha grinned to herself as she walked down the hall to her room. "Oh, wait," the innkeeper shouted, "If you want something to eat, it should be ready in about ten mintutes or so!" Natasha smiled and yelled back, "OK, I'll be there." After opening the door to her room, Natasha fell on her bed. Between that goofy captain and this riddle, she was dead tired, mentally and physcially. She looked at the clock on the wall; it said 6:00pm. She had ten minutes to get ready for some dinner. She lifted the bag that she kept some items in, such as her sword, books on the martial arts and some dresses. Slowly, she removed her leather covering. After being on the sea, the leather did get wet. Getting it off made her feel a thousand times better. Natasha then grabbed one of her neatly pressed and folded dresses, and put it on. She was very comfortable now. Well, maybe not mentally. That riddle still puzzled her. Natasha then washed her face and cleaned up. Nothing too fancy, just enough to make her remember how beautiful she really was. Looking in the mirror on the way to dinner, she winked to herself and said, "You are beautiful." Natasha entered the dining room, where there were several people around. Many appeared to be travelers, but in this day and time, who could really tell what about anyone? She located an empty table and had a seat. The smell entered her nostrils again. It was a lovely smell. Finally the waiter approached, after what seemed like an eternity but was really only a few minutes. "What can I get you, ma'am?" the waiter asked politely. Natasha laughed. "Whatever that is I'm smelling, sweetie. It smells good." "Well," he replied, "that is our special, the soup." "I'll have that, and some water to drink, please." She winked at him. The waiter, who was quite young, swallowed heavily. "Yes, miss, it will be right out." He then scurried of to the kitchen. Natasha laughed at his walking. Yes, no matter how long she was on a boat, she still had the abilty to make a man feel uncomfortable. She loved to flirt. Not to poke fun at anyone; she just did it. It was part of her personality. There was no doubt in her mind that she could get a man to do just about anything she wanted. Any man, anything. It amused her how much a man would go through to get somewhere with a lady. The waiter stumbled out of the back with a tray in his right hand. Luckily, nothing spilled. A big bowl of the soup and some water were on the tray. Natasha was ready to dig in to some good food. After two or three days without it, food could really be missed. "Here you go, miss," the waiter said as he put the tray in front of her, "Can I get you anything else?" "No, thanks," Natasha grinned at him. She wasn't finished with the young waiter yet. She wanted to see him sweat a little. "But if there is," she added, her smile getting bigger, "I'll as for you personally." The waiter was really messed up now. He wasn't only sweating; he looked like he needed a nice cold shower. She giggled as he fumbled into the back, quickly followed up by a loud crash. Natasha dipped her spoon into the soup and started to eat. The smell of the soup did not do it justice. The taste was worth the flirting, if not more. She loved every bite and cleaned the bowl out. The water was also gone. As she finished, the innkeeper walked up to her table. "Hello, Miss Chase," he said. "Hello," Natasha replied. "This is great soup." "Thank you," the innkeeper smiled, "Its my wife's. Uh, you don't have to pay for that, the 200 included dinner and even breakfast tomorrow, if you want it." Natasha smiled. "If it as half as good as this soup, I will definitely be there!" "Do you mind if I ask you something?" the innkeeper inquired. "No, not at all," she said. "You looked spooked when you came today," he said. "I was wondering what is troubling you." "Well," Natasha began, "You're gonna think I'm crazy, but I'm looking for my real parents. As a baby, I was left on some family's doorstep or something. Anyway, I've been having dreams about them. Last night, a riddle was posed to me, 'Go to where a year's creation was destroyed in a day.' Then there was a nasty mess with a boat captain, that I would rather not get into, if you don't mind." "I understand," the innkeeper replied. "But as for your riddle, I think I can help you." "You can?" Natasha arose. "Sure," he said, "There is a wise man in Tzen who might be able to help you. His name is Rooks. He's an old man, so this stuff about years and stuff, he'll probablly know." "Thank you so much!" Natasha shook his hand. "Don't menchon it." The innkeeper smiled. "It was my pleasure." Natasha went to sleep that night, with a new thought: Rooks in Tzen.